100+ College Care Package Ideas

You might remember your first days in a college dorm room. Once your parents helped you move in boxes upon boxes of all your college essentials and they said their goodbyes, you not only had your first taste of freedom, but you might have also felt a little homesick. And of course, nothing was more welcome during that time than a care package from home!

We’ve recently sent Harris Sister Misty’s oldest daughter Charlotte off to college, which has got us thinking that maybe we should send her some goodies to let her know we’re thinking about her.

What Can I Send a Homesick College Student?

Ideas for a college care package don’t need to be super complicated or even expensive. These ideas for what to put in a college care package are things that college students need, they’re easy to find, and they’re sure to be appreciated. This list of 100+ ideas will make it easy for you to DIY your own care package for a college student.

When picking out fun things for your college student’s care package, make sure to also include a few everyday necessities. 

Homemade Food Ideas

Lots of times, college kids might appreciate some homemade food. From snack foods to cookies and candies to quick breads, these recipes are not only quick and easy to make but they will also be easy to package and send. Whip up a batch of these goodies, keep some for yourself, and share some with your favorite college student.

No Bake Choc Oat Cookies

1.      Polka-Dot Party Popcorn
2.      Autumn Trail Mix
3.      Liar-Liar Chex Mix
4.      Peanut Butter Balls
5.      No-Bake Choc Oat Cookies
6.      White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps
7.      Butter Cookies with Sprinkles
8.      Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
9.      Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
10.    No Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
11.    Cake Walk Slash Bake Sale Brownies
12.    Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
13.    Lemon Blueberry Quick Bread
14.    It’s Now or Never Quick Bread
15.    Sweet Potato Pecan Bread
16.    Super Moist Pumpkin Bread
17.    Cranberry Zucchini Bread
18.    Nutella Banana Swirl Bread

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prepackaged Food & Drink Items

Your college student will appreciate receiving any of these food, snack, and drink items. Because they are prepackaged, they have longer shelf-lives. Some of these items make convenient grab-and-go snacks and others are handy when they just don't have the energy to trudge all the way to the cafeteria for a meal. Don't forget to look for items that are easy-to-make in a dorm room with the help of a microwave!

19.    Hot Chocolate 
20.    Tea
21.    Coffee Pods
22.    Flavored Drink Mix Pouches (Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Etc.)
23.    Microwave Popcorn
24.    Protein Bars
25.    Granola Bars
26.    Beef Jerky
27.    Pringles
28.    Squeezable Applesauce
29.    Peanut Butter (Single Serve Size)
30.    Instant Oatmeal Cups
31.    Macaroni & Cheese Cups 
32.    Ramen Noodles
33.    Microwavable Rice or Pasta Side Dishes
34.    Snack Cups (Fruit, Pudding, Etc.)
35.    Pop Tarts
36.    Nuts
37.    Dried Fruit
38.    Candy
39.    Cookies (Oreos, Nutter Butters, Girl Scout Cookies, Etc.)
40.    Gum
41.    Mints
42.    Hot Sauce
43.    Canned Soup (with Pop Top Lids)
44.    Saltine Crackers
45.    Snack or Sandwich Crackers

First-Aid & Health Items

Keep your college student healthy with a supply of health and wellness items. They can stash many of these items away in a first-aid kit made from a pencil box. You can find smaller sizes of many of these items at your local dollar store that will be the perfect size for a dorm room.

46.    Tissues
47.    Cough Drops
48.    Cold Medicine
49.    Tylenol
50.    Band-Aids
51.    Antibiotic Ointment
52.    Hydrocortisone Cream
53.    Antacids
54.    Airborne or Emergen-C
55.    Multivitamins
56.    Eye Drops
57.    Hand Sanitizer (Portable / Keychain Size)
58.    Extra Face Masks

Toiletries / Self-Care Items

Help your college student keep personal care essentials in stock or help them take a break from studying with fun spa items like mud masks and sugar scrubs. 

59.    Makeup
60.    Nail Polish
61.    Nail Polish Remover Wipes
62.    Mud Masks
63.    Sugar Scrub
64.    Lotion
65.    Shampoo
66.    Conditioner
67.    Deodorant
68.    Toothbrush
69.    Toothpaste
70.    Floss
71.    Mouthwash
72.    Disposable Razors
73.    Shaving Cream
74.    Bath Pouf or Loofah
75.    Body Wash or Soap
76.    Feminine Hygiene Products
77.    Lip Balm
78.    Hair Ties
79.    Bobby Pins
80.    Sunscreen
81.    Turbi Twist Hair Towel
82.    Eyeglasses Cleaner Wipes

Extra School Supplies

These items will come in handy (especially toward the end of the semester when initial supplies might be running low). You can stock up on them at back-to-school time.

83.    Notebooks
84.    Notebook Paper
85.    Sticky Notes
86.    Tape Flags
87.    Note Cards
88.    Pens
89.    Pencils
90.    Highlighters
91.    Sharpies
92.    Stationery
93.    Stamps

Other Practical Ideas

Make sure to include some of these everyday necessities in your college student's care package. 

94.      Socks
95.      Sleep Mask
96.      Disinfectant Cleaning Wipes
97.      Tide-To-Go
98.      Laundry Detergent (Pods)
99.      Fabric Softener Sheets
100.    Roll of Quarters (if Their Dorm Has Coin-Operated Washing Machines)
101.    Lint Roller
102.    Command Hooks
103.    Paper Plates
104.    Disposable Eating Utensils

Fun Ideas

Don’t forget that sometimes fun items are the most appreciated! These items are sure to put a smile on your college student’s face.

105.    Notes from Family and Friends
106.    Photos from Home
107.    Holiday Decorations for Their Dorm Room
108.    Gift Cards to Fast Food Restaurants in the Area (Pizza, Coffee, Etc.)
109.    Favorite Magazines
110.    Brainteasers or Puzzles
111.    Card Games or Board Games
112.    College Spirit Wear from Their New School (T-Shirt, Sweatshirt, Hat, Etc.)
113.    Coffee Mug
114.    Insulated Tumbler
115.    Lottery Scratch Off Tickets

How to Pack and Ship a Care Package

Choose a Shipping Box

Before you buy any items for your care package, pick your shipping box. This is one of the most important steps because the box you choose will determine:  

• the number of items you will need to fill your care package 
• the cost of shipping

Keep in mind that priority mail boxes (which are free from the Post Office) might be your best bet. You can stuff everything you can into one box (up to 70 lbs.) and ship it anywhere in the US for one flat fee. Priority mail includes delivery between one to three business days. And it also comes with tracking and up to $50 of insurance.

Choose a Theme

If you'd like to choose a theme, do that before purchasing items for your care package. For example, if you'd like to send all Halloween-themed items or all coffee-themed items, this will narrow your shopping list. You can also decorate your shipping box to match the theme if you'd like.

Purchase Your Items (and Fill 'er Up!)

Next, purchase enough items to fill your box. If you choose to include an item like a mug or an insulated tumbler, you can always optimize space by filling the inside of the item with other small items like candy.

Package Your Box Carefully

Package your items so that they arrive as intended. Remember to purchase items that will hold up well during the shipping process. 

• Package homemade food items in a plastic container to ensure they arrive unharmed. 
• Because prepackaged food items often come in smaller packages within larger boxes, remember that you might be able to fit more items in your care package if you remove individual items from their larger packaging before adding to your shipping box.
• Make sure to pack self-care items extra carefully to ensure that they don’t leak during shipping. Package items like shampoo, conditioner, and lotion in gallon-sized Ziploc bags.
• Be careful with fragile and special items. Consider that things may melt or get ruined during shipping. Put photos, drawings, handwritten notes, etc., in Ziploc bags to keep those items safe during transit. 

Double-Check Your Address

If you're sending a package to a new student on campus, make sure you've double-checked that you've listed the address correctly on the shipping label, including any important information like the residence hall name and room number. Remember that students tend to change addresses each year, so make sure that you're not sending the package to the address you had on file for them last year (and go ahead and update your address book with their new contact information when you're sending the first package of the year).

College Care Package Tips - Final Thoughts

Remember that your college student will appreciate receiving a care package in the mail from you! If you've got a few family members that are sending items to the same student, try to spread out your packages so that they aren't all arriving at the same time. If there are any items that your college student needs, have them let you know so that you can include them in the next care package you send. 

And one final tip - your care package doesn't even have to be a fancy "package" - if they need something specific, you can just add that item to your Amazon Subscribe and Save Orders and have it delivered directly to them whenever they need it.

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